Yesterday evening, the 2024 Halliday Wine Companion Awards were announced in front of 125 industry guests from across Australia.

The Halliday Wine Companion Awards recognise the nation’s top wines, winemakers, viticulturists, and wineries across the country’s wine regions.

Hosted at the Stokehouse restaurant in St Kilda, Melbourne the 2024 Companion also marked the inaugural inductees to the James Halliday Hall of Fame in two classes: Wine and Australian Wine Industry. The new accolades recognise a wine that has won its category on five occasions or more and acknowledges individuals of the Australian wine industry deemed to be of the highest regard and significance.

This year’s honourees and award winners were presented by the Halliday tasting team, chief editor Campbell Mattinson, founder James Halliday AM, as well as expert judges Dave Brookes, Jane Faulkner, Jeni Port, Philip Rich and Shanteh Wale.

“This year’s awards and honourees underpin the strength and diversity of Australian wine amongst our regions. As a collective tasting team, we were in awe of the value that was represented in this year’s winners. We’ve unearthed some gems and honoured the very best of the best Australia has to offer. Our love for wine has only become stronger after tasting over 8500 wines across the year – it was a pleasure to taste alongside our expert judges. Congratulations to all the winners,” said Halliday Wine Companion chief editor, Campbell Mattinson.

This year’s major awards represented regions including Coonawarra, McLaren Vale, Alpine Valleys, Victoria, Yarra Valley and Beechworth, Eden Valley and Hall of Fame in Barossa Valley, which both sit within the Barossa region. The varietal winners span three states: South Australia, Western Australia and Victoria.

JAMES HALLIDAY HALL OF FAME

• James Halliday Hall of Fame: Wine – Seppeltsfield 100-Year-Old Para Vintage Tawny 1923, Barossa Valley, SA (100 points)
• James Halliday Hall of Fame: Wine Industry – Prue Henschke of Henschke Wines, Keyneton, SA

2024 MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

• Winery of the Year – Bleasdale Vineyards, Langhorne Creek, SA
• Winemaker of the Year – Kate Goodman, Penley Estate, Coonawarra, SA
• Viticulturist of the Year – Mark Walpole, Fighting Gully Road, Beechworth, VIC
• Best New Winery – Joshua Cooper Wines, VIC
• Dark Horse – Anderson & Marsh, Alpine Valleys, VIC
• Best Value Winery – Oakridge Wines, Yarra Valley, VIC
• Wine of the Year – Yangarra Estate Vineyard Old Vine Grenache 2021, McLaren Vale, SA 2024

VARIETAL WINNERS

• Red Wine of the Year – Yangarra Estate Vineyard Old Vine Grenache 2021, McLaren Vale, SA – 99 points
• White Wine of the Year – Landaire at Padthaway Estate Chardonnay 2021 Padthaway – 98 points
• Sparkling Wine of the Year – Sittella Wines Grand Prestige Late Disgorged 2010 Pemberton – 97 points
• Riesling of the Year – Limefinger Solace Riesling 2022 Clare Valley – 98 points
• Chardonnay of the Year – Landaire at Padthaway Estate Chardonnay 2021 Padthaway – 98 points
• Semillon of the Year – Pepper Tree Wines Museum Release Limited Release Tallawanta Single Vineyard Semillon 2013 Hunter Valley – 99 points
• Sauvignon Blanc of the Year – Domaine Naturaliste Sauvage Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Margaret River – 96 points
• Pinot Gris/Grigio of the Year – Mayer Bloody Hill Villages HealesvillePinot Gris 2022 Yarra Valley – 96 points
• Other Whites & Blends of the Year – John Kosovich Wines Bottle Aged Reserve Chenin Blanc 2018 Swan Valley – 98 points
• Rosé of the Year – Sutton Grange Winery Fairbank Rosé 2022 Central Victoria Zone – 97 points
• Pinot Noir of the Year – Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022 Yarra Valley – 98 points
• Grenache & Blends of the Year – Yangarra Estate Vineyard Old Vine Grenache 2021 McLaren Vale – 99 points
• Shiraz of the Year – Murdoch Hill The Landau Single Vineyard Oakbank Syrah 2021 Adelaide Hills – 99 points
• Cabernet Shiraz Blend of the Year – Bleasdale Vineyards Wellington Road Shiraz Cabernet 2021 Langhorne Creek – 98 points
• Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year – Bleasdale Vineyards The Iron Duke Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Langhorne Creek – 98 points
• Cabernet & Family of the Year – Houghton C.W. Ferguson Cabernet Malbec 2020 Frankland River – 98 points
• Other Reds & Blends of the Year – Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 3 2021 Yarra Valley – 97 points
• Sweet Wine of the Year – De Bortoli (Riverina) Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2020 Riverina– 96 points
• Fortified Wine of the Year – All Saints Estate Museum Muscat NV, Rutherglen – 100 points

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